Samuel b



(No Model.)

S. B. H. VANCE.

COMBINED GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE. No. 305,984. Patented Sept. 30,1884.

Wit/was as UNrTE STAT Es ATENT arr err,

SAMUEL B. H. VANCE, O'F NEXV YORK, N. Y.

COMBINED GAS AND ELECTRIC-LIGHT FIXTURE.

.SPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,984, datedSeptember 30, 1884.

(No model.)

To (LZZ/ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. H. VANCE, of New York city, New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Oom- -bined Gas andElectric-Light Fixtures, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention applies to that class of fixtures in which the arms of thechandelier or bracket are provided with gas-burners and electricla1nps,with duct-s conveying the gas and wires to the respective parts,and means for insulating the fixture bodily from the gas-pipe, so as toprevent grounding of the current in case of accidental metallic contactof either wire with the fixture.

My improvements aim to render the connection of thefixture with gas-pipeand conductors simple, neat, and reliable, to provide distinct ducts inthe fixture for gas and wires, and to fully conceal and protect thepassage of the wires into the fixture. and to render the exterior of thefixture neat and finished in appearance.

To these ends one feature of my invention consists in the form ofcoupling bet-ween the fixture and gas-pipe, which may be brieflydescribed as a union with an interposed insulating-packing between theunion and gas-pipe, consisting of a tapered insulating-plug which screwstightly onto the gas-pipe and fits conically into the socket of theunion, so as to make a gas-tight joint with both. parts, and thusprevent the escape of gas, while insuring the insulation of the fixturefrom the gaspipe, and at the same time enables the connection to be madevery easily, and renders the connection very strong. Ialso arrange thegas stop-cocks or valves at the root end of the arms, or where the wiresand gas enter the arms, and I perforate the casing of the stopcock witha way or ways for the wires 011 one or both sides of the valveplug, andI extend pipes from the valve-casing coincident with the wire and gasways thereof to the lamps and burners, respectively, the said pipesbeing preferably inclosed one within the other. My invention, therefore,lies chiefly in the features above outlined, as hereinafter fully setforth.

My improvements may be applied either to the stem and arms of pendantsor chandeliers, or to the arms of wall-brackets; but in the drawings Iillustrate the application of the invention to wall-brackets only, asits application to other forms of fixtures will be obvious.

In the drawings, therefore, Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofcombined gas and electric-light fixture in the form of a wallbracketprovided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the samewith lamp and burner and wall-plate removed. Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional view of the insulating-coupling, and Fig. 4 a perspective ofthe tapered insulating-plug removed. Fig. 5 is a plan view of thegas-valve Fig. 6, a sectional plan, and Fig. 7 a cross-sectionthereof,showing the passage of the wires through the same.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a indicates the main or external tube of thebracket-arm, which in this illustration is shown curved into the form ofan S, but which, of course, may be fashioned in any other design. 011this tube a, preferably at the crest of the upper bend,

the gas-burner c rises, while on the free end of the tube is the seat orsocket d, for the elec tric lamp 0. The seat for the electriclamp isthus placed on the downwardly-turned end of the tube, so that the lampfits pendently thereon, as usual; but the lamp may of course be arrangedin any other suitable manner, as will be understood.

N ow, f indicates the end of the gas-pipe which projects from the wall,and A indicates is arranged the bulb or fitting b, from which thegas-valve of the bracket-arm, which, as

shown, is connected with the maintube of the bracket-arm at its rootend, or where the fixture connects with the gas-pipe, as will beunderstood from Figs. 1 and 2.

Between the gas-pipef and the valve A is.

arranged the insulating-coupling B, (shown best in Figs. 2- and 3,)which consists of three partsviz., the socket-sleeve g, the clampingscrew collar or nut h, and the insulating hollow tapered plug Fig. 3, isthreaded on its interior with the regulation tapered ironpipe thread,and is screwed tightly 011 the tapering threaded end of the gaspipe f,as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the exterior of the plug is turned to asmooth taper, and is socketed in the smooth conical socket in the mouthof the sleeve or union-nipple g, in which it fits gas-tight. The outeror wider end of the sleeve is threaded to The plug i, as shown best ininner or narrow end of the sleeve is threaded with a female thread toconnect with the screwneck ofthe valve A, as shown in Fig. 2. The plugas shown in Fig. 3, is of such a length as not to seat in thebottom ofthe socket inthe sleeve 9, so that the tapering sides of plug and sleeveonly are in contact, and the wide end of the plug is formed with aprojecting rim or shoulder, 7', against which the rim or shoulder of thenut h fits, but makes no contact with the gas-pipef, as shown in Figs. 2and 3. It will hence be seen that-by screwing up the nut the plug willbe forced tightly into the conical socket of the sleeve g and compressedaround the gas-pipe, thus rendering the connection of the fixture withthe gas-pipe mechanically firm, and at the same time perfectlygas-tight, while the non-conducting nature of the plug renders thefixture perfectly insulated from the gas-pipe and ground, as isconsidered necessary in this class of fixtures. The plug i is preferablymade from vulcanized or gelatinized fiber nicely turned and threaded;but it may of course bemade from any other non-conducting material,preferably of one which is slightly elastic, as will be understood, andit may or may not be formed with a lip, g, at the narrow end, which willfit over the end of the gas-pipe, so as to prevent the possibility ofthat end coming'in contact with the sleeve 9, and it may or may not beformed with the outer rim, j. In case, however, the rim j is omitted,the shoulder of the nut h will seat against the end of the plug, and theplug will preferably be made thicker than that shown, as will be readilyunderstood. It will now be appreciated that this form of coupling is notonly simple, compact, and cheap, but is very strong, and renders theconnection of the fixture on the pipe very secure, and also enables thefixture to be connected very quickly and easily, and without thenecessity of turning the fixture, for it will be seen that in making theconnection it is only necessary to first screw the plug t" tightly onthe pipef, and then slip the nut it back over the plug, after which thesleeve 9 is screwed tightly onto the valve A, and the sleeve is thensocketed on the plug with the bracketarm in theproper uprightposition,after which the nut h screwed tightly up on the sleeve, whichclamps the parts firmly together,as will be readily understood fromFigs. 2 and 3. These operations, as will be seen, are very simple, anddo not require that the fixture itself be rotated to screw it to thegas-pipe,which is a great advantage in a combined fixture from whichwires protrude for connection with the main conductors. This form ofcoupling may also be used in the case of chandeliers between thegas-pipe in the ceiling and the top of the stem of the chandelier; but Iconsider this form of coupling best adapted for wall-brackets, and Iprefer to use in chandeliers the hollow cranked bend form of couplingshown in an application filed the same date with this, Serial No.128,499. 7

said rim k, as will be understood from Figs. 1,

and 2, and thus conceals the coupling and other connections of thefixture with the pipes and wires on the wall, and imparts a finishedappearance to the base or root end of the fixture, as will be readilyappreciated. This wall-plate is preferably bisected or made in twodivisions,which meet in a rabbeted joint, and are held by screws, sothat the wall-plate is thus easily applied from each side to thecoupling end of the fixture after all the con .nections are made, aswill be readily under stood,which featureis fully shown and claimed inmy other application filed coincident with this, and therefore forms nopart of thisapplication.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the neck and easing of thevalve A is of course perforated with a gasway, m,which preferably passesthrough the neck in an eccentric position, or near the upper sidethereof, as shown in Fig. 2, but of course in line with the aperture min the valve-plug n, as shown by full and dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 7.Now, besides the gasway m, the valve-casingis perforated with twowireways, 0 o,which, however, extend through the metal of the casing oneach side of the plug in an inclined or oblique dircction, as shown bestin Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the forward ends of which open into thescrew-socket p in the front end of the valve, into which the main tube ais screwed, while the rear end of the said wireways open behind theseating-rim, as fully shown in Figs. 2, 5, G, and 7. Now, fro1n thegasway of the valve-casing,within the screw-socket j), a small internaltube, 1'', proceeds and extends along within the outer or main tube, a,and bends into the bulb or fitting b, and there connects by both ascrewed and soldered joint to a nipple, b", on which the gas-burner c isscrewed, as fully shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the inner tube, 7-,thus forms the gas tube or duct from. the valve to the burner within themain tube a, to which no gas is admitted. The wirest are, however,passed in from behind the seating-rim 7.: on the valve, through thebores 0 0 into the main or outer tube, a, and between the said outertube, a, and the inner gas-tube, 1', and thence proceed through theeccentric space intervening between the inner and outer tubes to theorifice or socket (l, where the wires issue to connect with the electriclamp, as shown best in Fig. 2 5 hence by this means both wires and gaspass through the valve by separate ducts, and separate tubes extend fromthe said ducts to the burners and lamps, thus forming independentpassages for gas and wires in such a way as not to interfere with eachother or allow the escape of gas, yet render the insertion of the wiresvery simple, and the construc- ICC tion of the fixture very neat andcompact and finishedin its external appearance.

It will be seen that the construction is rendered very neat and compactby having the gas and wire tubes placed one within the other, as shown,although I do not limit myself to this, as it is obvious that separatepipes might proceed from the gas and wire ways of the valve side byside, the gaspipe proceeding, say, upward to connect with the burner,while the wire-pipe proceeded downward to connect with the lamp, andeither arrangement of pipes may be used, according to the design of thefixture, as will be readily appreciated.

WV here the ends of the wires issue from the I valve-casing behind theseating-flange is, they may be easily conneotedor coupled with the maincircuit-wires protruding from orrunning along the wall, and after thisconnection is made the wall-plate Z is placed over the parts to concealthe same, as will be readily understood, and it will be seen that by theconstructions here illustrated this connection can be made very easily.It will also be seen that it it is ever desired to disconnect thefixture it can be accomplished very readily by disconnecting the wiresbetween the valve and wall, and then loosening the nut h and removingthe fixture, which will not in any way displace the wires in thefixture, nor interfere with the gas or wire passages, nor the lamps andburners thereon, which is a great advantage. It will therefore be nowobvious from what has been already stated and illustrated that theseimprovements will. not only apply to the arms of wall-brackets, but alsoto the arms of chandeliers, and will enable the arms to be readilyconnected to the gas-pipes and wires in the ring of the chandelier. Inthat case the seating-flange of the gasyalves A will seat up against thering ofthe chandelier, and the necks of the valves will connect to thegas-pipes of the ring by any suitable coupling, while the wires t twillconnect within the ring to the main wires, which proceed down the stemof the chandelier, as will be readily understood.

hen the chandelier is to be packed for transportation, the arms can bereadily detached, as described in the case of the wallbracket, andpacked compactly without liability of injuring the same, and canafterward be as easily attached when the chandelier is put up, which isan important advantage.

It will be readily understood that it is not essential that the casingor fitting s be provided with the valve-plug a, so as to form thegas-valve, as the valve-plug may be omitted and the gasway on continuedthrough the solid casing to connect directly with the gas-piper, and agas-valve of ordinary form may then be used between the nipple b and theburner c, and it will be seen that the essential features of myinvention will still be preserved.

When the valve A is used as shown in the drawings, one large bore, 0,may pass through the casing on one side of the plug to convey the wires,instead of having a small bore or way on each side for each wire, whichlatter is, however, preferable, as illustrated.

It will be readily seen that instead of having the union-socket gconnect with the screwneck a of the fixture or valve A, and theinsulating-sleeve screw on the gaspipc f, the

. arrangement may be reversed, it desired,without altering this featureof my invention. 1t will also be seen that the screw-neck a may be madeeither with a male or female thread, the male thread only being shown inthe drawings, as that is considered preferable.

What I claim is- 1. In a combined gas and electric-light fixture, abracket or chandelier arm terminated at its root end with a casing orfitting, 8, per forated with ways for gas and wires, said fitting havingan attaching-neck, a, for connection with the gas-pipe, within which thegasway opens, and with a seating flange or base, it, behind which thewire way or ways open, with distinct tubes extending from the front endof said ways to burner and lamp, substantiall y as herein set forth.

2. I11 a combined gas and electric fixture, a burner and lamp supportingarm terminated at its connecting end with a fitting having 'aconnecting-neck, a, and base flange or shoulder 7. said fitting beingperforated with ways for gas and wires, opening, respectively, from saidneck and behind said flange, with distinct pipes connected with therespective ways on the front end of said fitting, and arranged onewithin the other, and connecting, respectively, with gas-burner andelectric lamp, substantially as herein set forth.

3. In a combined gas and electric fixture, a stop-cock or valveperforated with ways for gas and wires, with a distinct pipe proceedingfrom the respective ways to the gas burner and electric lamp,substantially as herein set forth.

4. In a combined gas and electric fixture,

' the combination. with the arm which supports the electric lamp andgas-burner, of the stopcock A, placed at the connecting end of said arm,and having its casing perforated with ways for the wires, with distinctducts in the arm extending from the wire and gas ways, respectively, tothe lamp and burner, substantially as set forth.

In a combined gas and electric-light fixture, a gas-valve perforatedwith a way or ways for wires, in combination with two tubes proceedingfrom the'valve, one being connected with thegas-burner and the gasway ofthe valve, while the other is connected with the electric lamp and thewireway of the valve, and one of said tubes being incloscd within theother, substantially as herein set forth.

6. In a combined gas and electric fixture, the stop-cock A, perforatedwith ways for gas and wires, with the connecting neck a, in which thegasway opens, and the seating rim or base 7:, behind which the wire wayor ways open, substantially as herein shown and .de scribed.

7. I11 a combined gas and electric fixture,

the casing or fitting 8, having at one end the connecting-neck a andbase-rim 7;, and at the opposite end the tube-socket p, with distinctgas and wire ways passing through said fitting, and both opening at oneend into said tubesocket, and opening at the opposite end, respectively,through said neck and rim, substantially as herein shown and described.

8. In a combined gas and electric-light fixture, a lamp and burnersupporting arm formed in two tubes, a 'r, placed one within the other,the outer tube, a, being connected with the electric lamp, and adaptedto convey the wires thereto, while the inner tube, 9', is adapted toconvey the gas, and opens through the side of the outer tube to connectwith the gas-burner, substantially as herein shown and described.

9. In a combined gas and electric-light ture, the connecting-fitting s,perforated with a central gasway, m, and a wireway, 0, on each side ofthe gasway, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. An insulating coupling for combined gas and electric-light fixtures,for connecting the fixture with the gas-pipeand insulating it therefrom,consisting of an insulating plug or sleeve, 1, adapted to screw onto theend of one part, in combination with a socket on the other part to fitover said plug, and a nut or clamp to secure the socket on the plug,substantiall y as herein set forth.

11. In combination with a combined gas and electric light fixture, theinternallythreaded and externally-taperinginsulating sleeve or plug 1',interposed between the gaspipe and fixture, with the connecting neck orunion 9, having a tapering socket to fit over said plug, and a nut orclamp, h, to secure said socket on the said plug, substantially asherein shown and described.

12. The combination, with a combined gas and electric-light fixture, andwith the'gaspipef, of the union socket g, nut 11, and interposedtapering insulating-plug 2', arranged and operating substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

SAML. B. H. VANCE.

V i tnesses:

THos. H. MOLEAN, OnAs. M. HIGGINS.

